Do you know what happened?

[Paula Hand]

I have a Wichita Cabin coop and a 25ft run attached. Yesterday morning I went out to unlock the coop door to let the chickens into the run. All was well. Around 3:00 I was out and noticed all the chickens were gone. However, I soon discovered they were all dead inside the coop and run. I had 2 grown hens and 6 (3 month old) chicks. They were scattered throughout and had all been covered with straw and loose dirt so they weren't visible. Only one hen had a missing head and I could find no visible wounds on the rest. There was no evidence of digging under so whatever it was came over the 4 ft tall run. The run was made of chicken wire with a mesh net secured over the top. I plan to dismantle the run to rebuild with hardwire, sides and top. Does anyone have an idea what this predator may have been? It was a devastating day.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

There was no evidence of digging under so whatever it was came over the 4 ft tall run

Welcome to BYC!

Sorry for your loss!

Domestic dogs will kill them all without eating or taking any and is one of the most common offenders., currently top on my list of suspects. No visible wounds are required when shook to death. Time of day and general description fit well.

Sometimes raccoons rip a head off through the wire, but this doesn't sound like that.. usually other birds are undisturbed. Weasel family will kill them all but *usually* not midday or buried under debris, (which was probably just from the chasing activity). Fox or coyote (might kill them all, though I doubt it and even if they did they would have taken some as they're here to eat and to feed their young not to play around and waste energy. (It can happen when resources are plenty and teaching youngsters to hunt though).

Adding your general location can help determine which predators may be stalking your animals. Everything in the wild seems to enjoy chicken dinner and all have their MO.

Hope you find some answers, but also that you get your defenses strengthened quickly and bring back the joy of new life as soon as you're ready!

 

[mowin]

Not thinking neighborhood dog. Wouldn't have covered the bodies with straw/dirt. I'm thinking possibly a bobcat.
Grab a cheap trail camera. Whatever it was will be back.

 

[Paula Hand]

Welcome to BYC!

Sorry for your loss!

Domestic dogs will kill them all without eating or taking any and is one of the most common offenders., currently top on my list of suspects. No visible wounds are required when shook to death. Time of day and general description fit well.

Sometimes raccoons rip a head off through the wire, but this doesn't sound like that.. usually other birds are undisturbed. Weasel family will kill them all but *usually* not midday or buried under debris, (which was probably just from the chasing activity). Fox or coyote (might kill them all, though I doubt it and even if they did they would have taken some as they're here to eat and to feed their young not to play around and waste energy. (It can happen when resources are plenty and teaching youngsters to hunt though).

Adding your general location can help determine which predators may be stalking your animals. Everything in the wild seems to enjoy chicken dinner and all have their MO.

Hope you find some answers, but also that you get your defenses strengthened quickly and bring back the joy of new life as soon as you're ready!

It was definitely not a dog/bobcat as the run had a cover and it was intact. I truly believe the predator purposely covered each of the dead birds as it was not easy to find them in the mix of straw and shavings. I live in north Georgia around a lake surrounded by woods. I believe it had just happened as their poor little bodies were still warm and limp. Just can't believe I, nor my dogs, didn't hear the commotion.

 

[Paula Hand]

Not thinking neighborhood dog. Wouldn't have covered the bodies with straw/dirt. I'm thinking possibly a bobcat.
Grab a cheap trail camera. Whatever it was will be back.

Well, it killed them all, so no need to come back but the trail cam is a great idea for some day when I get over this massacre and get more. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Finnie]

It was definitely not a dog/bobcat as the run had a cover and it was intact.

So we are looking at something small that can squeeze in through the wire? What size holes in your chicken wire?

 

[mowin]

Well, it killed them all, so no need to come back but the trail cam is a great idea for some day when I get over this massacre and get more. Thanks for the tip.

If it's something smaller, I'd guess weasel, but there not as likely to cover everything up. Good luck finding out what it was, and sorry about your gals.
Hopefully you will bounce back stronger and more determined.

Edit... Quick search shows they WILL hide multiple kills. Learned something new.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

It was definitely not a dog/bobcat as the run had a cover and it was intact.

I didn't realize it was intact still.

How big are the holes?

Weasel can get through quiet small holes. And this link says they can remove heads and climb well..

https://www.predatorguard.com/blog/identifying-backyard-chicken-predators

This link had a lot of good MO information to help identify the culprit..

https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2012/01/weasels-and-foxes-and-hawksoh-my.html

I will note that regardless of normal hunting time.. there are always exceptions.. so I wouldn't let time of day be my only factor.

 

[-Shade-]

It was more than likely some sort of weasel. We had a mink get into one of our coops and kill 15 of 17 chickens--hens and roosters all the same. They didn't seem to have any wounds, but they all looked strangled. Another time we had another mink get into the same coop about a year later and kill 4 australorps. It ate the head of only one. It's strange because they have these weird killing sprees, where they hardly eat anything, just kill almost like it was for sport.

I'm so sorry that you lost your flock like this. I understand how hard it can be.

 

[McChooky]

If you live near water you need 1/2" hardware cloth top to bottom with an apron around the bottom to keep out weasels. The can enter a coop and run thru regular chicken wire, knot holes, vents, drains and rat tunnels. Sorry for your loss!